Reverse
by MediocrePlayWright
Summary: a re-written sequence from the season finale of tvd (8x16) Its short snippets of what happens until death no longer do us apart


a rewrite of the finale, sorry if it doesn't make sense, it was rushed and quickly written so i could think of ANYTHING else than what really happened... but this came out of it... Enjoy? Stefans pov

Caroline had texted me, she, Alaric and the twins were gathered at her house while going through the boxes. Bonnie had gone home to get grimoires and were 5 minutes away by car.

Damon had gone to the clocktower, while Matt and his dad helped evacuate the town.

Everyone was separated for the time being, but soon they would all meet at the armory and have a "damage control" meeting to get a clear picture and estimate what has to be done.

Katherine was dead in the tomb and would probably come back any minute.

And I, myself was down in the tunnels under the school looking for Elena. Nothing so far, but he had time left right. As the thought went, his phone started ringing. Caroline.

* * *

"Stefan, Stefan can you hear me?" Her worried voice going through his ears made him panic more than before.

"Yeah, i'm here, whats happening?!" Stefan let out a breath, _please tell me that you're safe._

"we can't ge... Stefan where are... " The connection was failing and he started running for the opening.

"Caroline! Caroline, can you hear me" he breathed hard. His heart pounding. Almost there...

"Stefan... Its Happening" He hears her cry out, her voice weak.

"No, no wait, Caroline get out of there!" _Damn it, where is the entrance._

"Stefan... I love you" _No no no, its not time, its not time yet._

His phone clicked off and Stefan ran faster, but at the beginning of the ladder he looked up at the opening and fire roared above.

He dropped from the ladder and landed on the dirt floor looking up. His vocal chords beginning for an antagonizing scream and his head filled with disbelief

The hours had gone, and it was quiet too quiet... He went up the half burnt ladder and looked around.

HIs home was in ashes

He started calling everyone, maybe they survived, maybe _she..._

He went everywhere, not even the boarding house was standing, everything was gone, he could see miles at each direction, but nothing that was alive.

Stefan couldn't stand on his own legs anymore, they gave out and ash went everywhere, like a cloud of dust surrounded him, when he let out a scream that ripped through him.

Frenetic scientists had come from all over to solve the mystery of "the mystic falls massacre". They thought it was a gas leak that lead to an explosion under the streets, but they couldn't figure out how. They called it massacre because they had found bones and human remains everywhere. But little did they know that it was really a massacre, led by Miss Katherine Pierce.

Stefan tried to stand tall, to honor the memory of the lost, but he couldn't. His brother of over 100 years, his wife, his friends they were all gone. He started drinking and doing absolutely nothing, he cried himself to sleep and during daytime he raided the bar with money he and Damon had collected over the years. Stefan had moved to his apartment in Chicago, living in the guilt of everything he had ever done, talking himself in to that he deserved this pain.

But one day he had gotten reminded that he was a survivor. He found one of his old diaries tucked away in drawer, it reminded him of how he had seen Caroline at the park one day so many years ago, how free and light she seemed even if there was chaos around her. How she smiled at him and fidgeted around uncomfortably, because then, both knew the feelings were there but none of them really new how to handle it. It was because of that diary he realized he needed to be _them_ , be their way of _living_ in the world.

So he did everything he could to redeem past mistakes, not giving up this time. He went through the list of names on the cupboard door, found their relatives or something associated with them, donations or something to at least try to weigh up what he has done.

He never took of his wedding band, and he even wore his daylight ring, he wanted to be reminded of them- his past, wherever he'd go . Them being there beside him while he searched redemption and piece. He wouldn't die, not today, he had to live for them.

He would continue writing in the journal, to honor the dead and to continue believe in the good. Just as she did. And live in the moment. Just as he did.

*Stefan Salvatore's last entry, age 242*  
 _That march, 68 years ago, was the day I lost it all: my love, my brother, my friends.  
Hellfire brought mystic falls to its knees and the only one who survived was the one that should have been dead.  
I lived in misery until seeking my redemption in honor of myself and my family, today I believe is my last day, I have no guilt left, just an ache of missing the closest to me. I don't regret living, I regret not knowing how it was supposed to be with my family.  
I'm old and grey, my body hurts i'm forgetting, my writing capabilities are getting worse, but I guess that is what happens when you have lived two and a half centuries.  
I was supposed to die first, but now I'm the only one who remembers those years that are soon to be forgotten. My name is Stefan Salvatore, this was my story and now,_ I'm ready.. "

 _Obituary of Stefan Salvatore_

 _Stefan Salvatore took his last breath in his sleep, finding his peace. All diaries he ever wrote was buried with him, in memory of his late family. Mr Salvatore was a secretive man, but with a good heart. He lived his life helping people, collecting money to charities and funds. We will always remember him, the old man inte corner of the room, sitting by the window and speculating, telling stories about mystical creatures, his imagination will forever be in our memory of him._

 _\- New Mystics Retirement home_

Stefan opened his eyes and a glow surrounded him, he felt fulfilled and happy. He sat up from the light green grass. To his right a football was placed, he took it up studying it. Then he heard a voice that was that teasing familiarity he had missed.

"No rules right?" Damon smiled, his eyed filled with tears of joy.

Stefan looked up at him, and stood up

"No rules" Stefan threw the football but right as he Damon was going to throw it back Stefan clashed with his chest. They started to laugh hysterically.

"Its good to see you again, brother" Stefan was going to respond but as he did Damon continued.

"Lets go, the others are inside." Damon gestured to the Salvatore mansion behind him. Stefan studied it and then saw Matt and his dad standing by the cars clearly captured by the engines problems, Vicky and Tyler sitting on the grass a few feet over in the sunlight laughing at them. Stefan caught up with Damon at the entrance, he looked at the house that he just remembered as ruins.

Damon had gone to Enzo at the pool table now. He saw Alaric, Jo and the kids playing in the living room with no care in the world. Liz and Josie ran around playing with hundred different colors. Liz Forbes and Sheila Bennet was by the fireplace talking, whine in one hand and a book in the other. With all the people the decor felt lighter, it wasn't dark and gloomy as before, it was filled by joy as it should be.

Speaking of joy, his ears captured the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen, he ran over and saw Jenna, Elena, Bonnie and Caroline standing around the kitchen island talking about something in the magazine in front of them. He looked at _her_ , oh he had missed her.

"Hey" Her head twisted to him at his voice.

Caroline glanced at his hand seeing his wedding band, she bit her lip, happiness shown through her body liked the sun, Caroline threw her arms around him, she kissed him and then looked deeply into his eyes as her sweet voice uttered.

"Welcome home"

The end of _HIStory_


End file.
